The invention relates generally to air conditioning and heat pump systems, and more specifically to an improved accumulator device which is designed to also carry out a filtering and drying function.
A suction accumulator is usually positioned between an evaporator and the compressor in a heat pump or air conditioner. During operation, the suction accumulator receives the combined liquid and vapor from the evaporator via an inlet baffle. Vapor passes on to the compressor via an outlet tube and a metered amount of oil and liquid refrigerant mixture is passed through an orifice to the compressor. When the heat pump or air conditioner is off for an extended period, the refrigerant tends to liquefy within the low side of the system. When the system is turned on, or at low ambient operating conditions, large amounts of liquid refrigerant can return to the compressor. Liquid surges can damage the compressor if the accumulator is not present. The accumulator prevents such liquid surges.
In normal operation, the filter dryer in an air conditioning system is positioned in the liquid line which does not insure that the compressor is protected by debris which enters the system from the line set or door coil. It is only in high risk situations, such as where a compressor has failed, is the filter dryer placed in the suction line of the compressor.
The debris which can pass into the system and through the compressor is from the result of lubricant breakdown, and from slag from solder, oxidized copper from brazing and debris left over from the manufacturing processes and field fabricated tubing. It can therefore be seen that there is a need for a system which can effectively filter out debris prior to it entering the compressor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved accumulator design which overcomes the problems of the prior art described above.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a more efficient accumulator which accomplishes a plurality of functions.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an accumulator design which eliminates the need for a separate filter dryer in air conditioning, heat pump or refrigeration systems using rotary compressors.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an accumulator which exhibits improved filtering.
The present invention is directed to an improved accumulator which includes a filter component and a dryer component. The combination of a filter member and a dryer member eliminates the requirement for a separate filter and dryer in the system. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the filter component is positioned immediately below the accumulator inlet, and functions to catch all debris entering the system. The dryer component contains a desiccant contained in a porous outer covering or bag, and functions to remove moisture from the refrigerant thus preventing detrimental reactions. This design reduces the system components by combining various functions into one component-the accumulator.